Pass Discounts and BWV

[PamOKW]

We've had a lot of people calling for better pass discounts from DVC. Realistically, the only incentive Disney has to offer those discounts is if members aren't using the parks. Many people say they do not plan to go to the parks as often as they have in the past.

I'm just wondering, if you are staying at BWV, is it really possible to not go to MGM and/or Epcot? Isn't part of the appeal of the resort its proximity to the parks? If you aren't going to the parks, enjoying the restaurants in Epcot, etc., why stay there?

 

[Janet2k]

A most excellent question, PamOKW. I can go for days without setting foot in a theme park, but the draw is very strong while staying at BWV to bop into Epcot (especially) for dinner. Sometimes while I'm at the BWV, I head over to the Magic Kingdom Resorts for fishing excursions, boating, and the children's programs at the GF. Even when I'm over there I sometimes find the draw to bop into the Magic Kingdom for lunch or a quick ride too much to resist.

 

[Bigcat]

I will going with a group for a golf outing in May, 2002 staying at BWV and I am sure we won't set foot in any of the parks. There is enough to do right at the Boardwalk that it will not be neccesary to pay for admission!

 

[Rachel1]

We go to the parks every other day. We (and the kids) are too exhausted if we go to the parks every day. On the "off" days we hang out at the pool, go to Downtown Disney, or just relax. The days that we spend at the parks is a full day - we arrive when they open and leave when they close. We usually stay at BWV (home) as it is so convenient to have our youngest in her stroller and to just wheel her home after a full day at the parks. Our youngest DD just turned 3 this week and she has been to WDW 3 times. Her fourth trip will be in May. The kids really enjoy the Boardwalk and all the activities so we don't need to go to the parks everyday.

 

[prplcrzy]

Our home is BWV and before we joined DVC we used to do the parks commando style, my wife had each minute planned and it really got to be a miserable experience at the most magical place on earth. My wife had no interest in DVC but really liked going to Disneyworld. The straw that broke the camels back was when a group of nine of us went down and by the third day was so hot and tired that we revolted from the commando plan and hung out at the pool and then went to a water park for half a day. I went on the tour myself and listened to the presentation partly because I knew they couldn't sell it to me without my wife there and partly because if it was a terrible pressure presentation I didn't want to listen to my wife for the rest of my vacation. I was so impressed that I took the documents back and took my wife to look at the units without going through the presentation (which she didn't want to do) She liked the rooms and we went home and discussed it for a few months before we bought. I have to say that our vacations have taken a 180 and we really do not need to go to a park to enjoy ourselves. We do enjoy the parks, but I don't think we will enjoy them quite as much in the future because there is a lot to do in and out of Disney. We could get by without the parks for a few days but we still enjoy the parks.

To answer your questions-

It is possible not to go to the parks, but I think that people will anyway, just not as much as they used to.

Why stay there? Have you stayed there? It is a neat atmosphere, and a large resort area with many hotels, not just one. There is much to do, and if you have a car the allure of just walking to those parks is diminshed somewhat. It is just a cool place to stay and my daughter likes the Boardwalk better than Coronado Springs and Port Orleans. Those were her first two trips and she now wants to stay at the Boardwalk for the third time in a row. It just has an appeal that makes it a cool place.

 

[PamOKW]

Prplecrzy I have stayed at BWV and agree that it is a lovely resort in and of itself. I just know that I would hear the fish & chips calling my name from Epcot and staring over at MGM might prove too much for my weak will.

However, I agree that it's possible to spend a day or more during a trip without necessarily having to go into a park. But, unless I spend a whole trip not going to a park, the AP still makes the most sense. Once I have an AP, why not go into the parks? That's where I think Disney has some of us. Not going to the parks defeats the reason we bought into DVC in the first place. The "protest" hurts us more than it hurts Disney.

This may not hold true for those that enjoy Universal, Sea World, etc. I haven't done these yet (haven't had time in the last 10 years) since I enjoy my days and nights at WDW.

I really think "goodwill" to a loyal customer base is the only reason for Disney to give us a better pass discount. I'm just not sure how they might be persuaded to do this.

 

[AnnK]

When we first bought into BWV we bought PAP's, we realized that we were not going to the waterparks often enough so we switched to AP's which we have bought for the last few years,( always planning to get 3 to 4 weeks in during the pass.) In Feb. ( for the first time since joining DVC) we bought 7 day hopper plus. We used ONE day in Feb., and that was because we knew we were going to e-night at MK, so we figured we would do some MGM and Epcot during the day. We plan on going again in Nov and Feb, and I am sure my pass will probably still have a few plus days left even after Feb. If I had a AP, I would have to buy another in Feb. , now I won't need one until maybe April, or quite possible next Nov. I MAY have gone to the parks more if I had an AP, but I did not feel like my last trip lacked for anything, it was very relaxing. I do miss just walking to Epcot, or MGM for dinner, but I have also discovered some nice alternative restaurants at Swan and Dolphin. I have spoken to people at BW about AP's for DVC'ers. They pretty much reflected the discussion about Disney will give discounts when they feel the loss of business, so it really doesn't matter what people SAY, it's what they actually DO.
As far as staying at BW without going to the parks, it's GREAT! BW has so much to do within walking distance. It has lots of restaurants. We always do the miini-golf at least twice. The Community Hall is a big hit,especially the N-64 games! I love BW, it has ESPN for sports, this is alot of fun in Nov, when they have trivia games going on Mon. nights for football. Dueling Pianos is a blast, the DJ and music for the kids to dance to on Sat. night and the best part is that you never have to drive.

 

[prplcrzy]

Pam,

I didn't mean to say that I was protesting in any way and that's why I wouldn't go to the parks. I happen to agree with you and AnnK that I will go to the parks, I was just saying that there is much more to do than the parks and don't need to be there every day. I am seriously thinking about buying 7 day park hopper passes because I can get as many trips as I want and go to the parks when I want. If I use it up I can just get another. If I don't I didn't spend the money on an AP and then not use it. I seriously think that if people are not going to the parks, then they will not buy AP's and they will think more about whether they want to burn a day off of a park hopper pass rather than just going over to EPCOT to watch the fireworks and have dinner. I know I wouldn't burn a day for that, but if I had AP's I wouldn't think twice about doing it. I really think that if the people who are posting on this board are an accurate reflection of what is happening, they are going to need to entice DVC'ers to go to the parks more.

I agree with AnnK, I really don't feel any pressure to go to the parks while staying at the Boardwalk, I still will, but I am going to have to pay more attention to how I do and purchase my passes accordingly.

I agree that if you have an AP why not go to the parks, but if you don't you will be more reluctant to do so and this is where Disney is missing out.

 

[prplcrzy]

P.S. Another really cool discount idea would be PAP's for the AP price. They should try to help us out, it is in their best interest.

 

[PamOKW]

Not to argue since I also would like to see a better discount....but as long as people are still buying park hoppers and staying on WDW property for dining (be it DD or BW), what is the monetary incentive for Disney? I think most of us bought DVC because we love to vacation at the entire WDW resort. They are still getting our money as long as we are staying on property. In fact, if we aren't going into the parks but still spending money, they could theoretically cut back on park hours and entertainment. (Okay, DVC members aren't that big a group but you can see where we are just moving money from one Disney pocket to another.)

 

[prplcrzy]

Pam,

We may still be spending money, but maybe not as much and probably not all of it at Disney. I know we go to the Universal Parks, Seaworld and there are other things to do as well.

The monetary incentive is to entice people into the parks because they spend more money in the parks than if they were doing other things. Keep the people on property not give thenm the opportunity to venture off and spend money elsewhere.

A day trip to the Universal Parks for us costs about $250-400. This includes park passes, meals and shopping. Why would I pay for an AP if I planned on going to other places on my vacation? I would be paying for double passes. We only go once a year so this may help explain the way I think. If I went more than once a year the AP is worth it. I don't know how many are like us, but if they are they will understand what I am saying.

The key phrase in you post is "as long as we stay on property" People will explore Florida and will buy their passes accordingly.

I had a poll a while back (listed under Doc's Polls) about how people buy passes and while AP's won, there are a considerable amount of people who buy other types of passes for various reasons. If they increased the AP sales I really think that more people would be entices to stay on property for their entire stay. Let's face it, that must be thier goal since they keep building stuff for you to do.

If they are concerned about how this will work they could offer it for a couple of years and do a cost study. If it didn't work for them, they could go back to the current discount and we will have gotten passes at a discount, and they would have goodwill and a cost study. Win/win if you ask me.

 

[AnnK]

I think that we would all like to see a better discount, more specifiacally on the Ap's. I feel that Disney is going to see a decrease in DVC spending. I 'm not going to boycott Disney, but I have definately cut back on my time spent in the parks, and on passes. For years we have bought 7 PAP or AP's, EVERY YEAR. Now we have 7 day hopper plus's that could end up lasting two years, but will at least last 1 1/2 year. That is a nice savings for me, and a loss for Disney. On top of that, Disney will also lose on food, beverages and dinners in the parks because as prplcrzy said we no longer walk over to Epcot for dinner and the lazer show, or MGM for Fantasmic and dinner, things you don't even think about doing when you have an AP.
I think Disney will see a drop in revenue at the restaurants and concessions without members going in "for just a few hours". I do still eat at BW, ESPN but now I also eat at Swan and Dolphin, ( something I did not do when I had an AP). The restaurants at S&D give DVC'ers a better discount than any Disney restaurant, and it is not Disney.
We also have USF/IOA annual passes. They are more reasonably priced than Disney, they also offer the holders much better discounts in the park and on merchandise purchases, so we go to those parks more often during our trips than the Disney parks.
I am happy with my 7 day PH plus tix, I like the idea that it will not expire, that I now think about IF I REALLY want to go into the park .
I hope Disney does eventually offer a discount similiar to the Fl resident, it is most likely the only way I would persueded to buy an AP again.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Just a couple of thoughts ... we've started restricting our park time to when a new major attraction opens, Kali River Rapids at AK a year or so ago being a good example. So if we're at WDW for five days or so, we might just find ourselves in a park for one day. There's an awful lot to be said for stopping and smelling the roses! Doing some boating/sailing, poking around all the resorts just to see what's new, checking menus for a dining treat, or just people watching -- these are such sweet, simple pleasures. (Of course, if you have kiddos in tow, the rules change significantly!) Just soaking up the atmosphere, being thankful for being so far removed from the worry and bustle of the day-to-day grind ... well, I'm all about THAT. My kids have historically enjoyed the resort pools just about as much as anything else we do (and the prices can't be beat!)

 

[Dreamfinder2]

I almost forgot ... since I believe the chances are slim to none that we'll see any bargains on admission media, I'd love to see something along the lines of the perks Universal gives to folks staying at Portofino/Hard Rock. I'd be a lot more receptive to the parks if just a break in the lines were available. (Yes, I know I run the risk of being an elitist snob as compared to day guests ... but to know me is to love me. So there.)

 

[dvcdudes]

This thread is right up my alley.
We just got back (see my post about our trip) and this was one of our best trips ever. I thought I would not be able to enjoy a trip without going to the parks... I was wrong. As much as it pains me to say this, my DW was right. She doesn't enjoy the parks the way me and the boys do but after spending this week away from the parks and having a chance to "smell the roses" arround the world I have to say "it was great". Don't get me wrong, we'll be back in the parks on our next trip. We just won't be there from open 'till close every single day of our vacation like we used to.
Getting back to the original question about BWV location almost forcing you to venture into EPCOT or MGM, I didn't find that at all. I think the location actually lends itself to not having to go to a park for entertainment. There was plenty to do right at the BW area.
After dinner we looked foward to going back to the BW for a nice walk around. The BW entertainers were very good. People watching was fun too.
As far as WDW loosing our money. I guess pamOKW is right. We still did spend a lot of money. Some of it was at the Swan & Dolphin and we did eat a few meals in our room but I have to admit most of it was at WDW dinning. We'll be going to Universal and Sea World one trip soon and I guess WDW will loose out on our spending those days. But I think they might not be all that concerned about DVC'ers not going into the parks because they know we will rent a boat, play games at the arcade, eat at a resort, etc. Don't get me wrong I would love a DVC discount and would probably spend more time in the parks if they gave us a decent discount. But, I'm not holding my breath. I'm hooked anyway.

 

[one_cat]

We bought APs in May and probably will buy another set in a couple years but I do foresee a year when we will go to DVC and spend the whole week at Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens. Mainly for a change but the cost of admission into the Disney parks is such that if we aren't going to spend the whole week there it doesn't make sense to spend any time there. After all we are DVC members - we'll be back and we can attack the Disney parks the next time...

The only way the Disney parks are reasonably priced is if you buy an AP and use it for many days. We will have used our APs for 18 days when they run out in May.

As for water parks - we still have water park hops available on our park hoppers we bought in 99. If we end up there sometime we will use those.

 

[jennybobenny]

I agree the lure of Epcot can be strong, especially for those DVCers staying at BWV, but looking back at the trip dh and I just took in June, we actually chose to watch Illuminations from the bridge between the Beach Club and the Boardwalk. Of course we couldn't see the whole thing, but having been there and done that on numerous occasions, watching the fireworks from the bridge was a nice change. And we have APs, so we could have just as easily gone into the park. So the temptation is there, but even for a park-hound such as me, it can be overcome.

As for park hoppers vs. APs - I'm not sure I can rationalize the park hoppers. I'd be in a constant state of accounting, that is, trying to decide if we got our one day's worth out of our day at the park. I can't remember the exact figure but it comes out to around $40/day when you purchase park hoppers. We couldn't go into the park just to see the parade or else it would bother me to no end to think we just spend $40 x 4 of us to watch one parade. The AP's help me get away from the penny-pinching - even without a DVC discount.

Having said that, we do plan on skipping the WDW AP one of these years and spending one upcoming vacation entirely at Universal and Sea World. If DVC were to offer an AP discount I'm sure I could postpone those non-Disney attractions for a few more years.

 

[Peterd]

We used to get the AP's for the whole family, but the last two we haven't. This year, I'll probably be the only one who gets one. The 7 day pass has worked out just fine for us this year. Our kids love the Boardwalk, and sometimes it seems like a waste to buy them the APs. Our 5 and 10 year old love the Community Hall, and we feel why force them to go into the parks if they're enjoying themselves more at the resort. There's just so much for them to do at the resort. Like most people they don't enjoy the crowds, so we usually don't go to Magic Kingdom unless it's an E-night, or off season. We find that more and more, while staying at the Boardwalk, My wife and the two young ones will stay at the resort, and I'll go to Universal or IOA with my 19, 14, and 12 year old. We have the APs there, and as the kids are getting older, they enjoy Universal more. This Nov. we'll be staying at the Boardwalk with 45 friends and family on points, (11 rooms, don't worry no studio has more than 5 in it). More than half the time will be spent at Universal and our daughters will be trying the dolphin swim at Discovery cove.
Boardwalk isn't only about the location. Having EPCOT and the studios within walking distance of course is great, but there's so much more to it than that. It's great to know you don't have to hop on a bus or car to go home to your resort after Fantasmic, or Illuminations. The walk back to the resort is a great way to end the night with the kids.
It's nice to walk downstairs to get a newspaper without having to get in the car. The health club is very convenient. Just a walk to the stairs or elevator and you're there. That's big for someone that likes to work out on vacation. If you have to get in car to get there, sometimes it's tough to get yourself out the door. When you come home late after spending your day at either Disney or Universal, You don't feel like stopping for food because the kids are almost out, it's nice to know you have so many late-night options for food to bring back to the room, just a short walk away.
So it's not just the location to the parks that makes the resort great.
I wonder what Disney would think if they knew that more and more DVCers (at least us), are staying on pts, and spending there money in Universal. We found new places to eat at Citiwalk, and off site that were reasonable, and the food was great. We still DO eat at the restaraunts located at the Boardwalk, Y and B clubs, and the Swan and Dolphin, but not as much as we used to . If DVC did give something like a Florida discount, we would definitely buy again. To say that not going to the parks, we're still giving our money to Disney at the resort is wrong, at least in our case. Sure we're still spending some money at the resort, but nothing near what we would do if we had APs again. We used to make trips to MGM just to eat, not anymore. The boardwalk is a great place just to relax on vacation. If we feel like walking into the park we can, but lately, we don't.